Emmanuel Macron expected to visit Dakar in October 2026

French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to visit Dakar, Senegal, on October 30 and 31, 2026. This visit would mark his first official trip to the country since Bassirou Diomaye Faye assumed power and his first visit to Senegal since his initial presidential term.

The timing of the visit coincides with the lead-up to the opening of the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar. Diplomatically, the trip arrives during a period of evolving relations between Paris and Dakar, following the 2025 completion of the withdrawal of permanent French military bases from Senegal.

A significant cultural component of the visit is expected to include a ceremony at the Museum of Black Civilizations. During this event, French President Macron is slated to award the Legion of Honour to prominent Senegalese musicians Youssou Ndour and Baaba Maal.